Everything Comes Crashing Down
by DarkandtwistyGirl
Summary: Set mid season 6. In a weak moment, Tony and McGee allow Ziva to drive back from a crime scene, will it cost them their lives? *Complete*
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS, or any recognisable characters.**

**Sorry it's been so long since I've written any NCIS fics, hopefully this will make up for the wait!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Ziva is driving the van back to NCIS headquarters from a crime scene, Tony is riding beside her, while Mcgee is in the back, being knocked around mercilessly by Ziva's reckless driving style.

"Damn it Ziva! Slow down before you get us all-" Tony's complaint is abruptly cut short when he sees a large semi trailer thundering towards them through an intersection.

Before anyone has a chance to react the semi ploughs into the van, forcing it directly into a busy intersection, hitting an unknown number of cars in their path.

Screeching of tires, blaring of horns, the sound of metal being crumpled, the van rolling, and probably worst of all, the sound of each others screams are the last thing they are aware of in the terrifying seconds before the wreckage comes to a halt, and they lose consciousness.

* * *

Several cars behind the van, now waiting at the red light Ziva had gone through just seconds before, Ducky and Palmer can only watch in horror as the crash unfolds before their eyes.

It happens so fast.

The van is t-boned by a semi trailer, crumpled severely by the impact, before being pushed into at least five other cars, then flipping into the air for a moment before rolling to it's final resting point.

"Oh my god!" Palmer utters, clearly shocked as he stares at the carnage.

Ducky wastes no time in climbing out of the morgue van as he shouts to Palmer, who is still in his seat. "Call 911, Jimmy. Come on!"

Without further pause, Ducky runs as fast as he can towards the crumpled wreckage, pushing his way through the rapidly growing crowd.

Apart from the van and the semi trailer, there are eight damaged cars strewn across the intersection, but Ducky ignores them as he hurries over to the van, which is upside down, crumpled almost beyond recognition, the windows all shattered, and smoke pouring from the wrecked engine.

Dr Mallard first sees Tony in amongst the twisted wreck, there is a laceration on his forehead, and the small area of his face and chest that are visible is soaked in blood. "Anthony?! Are you with me?" He says as he checks Tony over as best he can.

After a moment, Tony opens his eyes weakly, and looks over at Ducky, dazed. "Wht 'appened?"

Ducky sighs with relief, before saying. "You've been in a car accident. Just relax and stay still. The rescue crews will be here soon, and they'll get you out of there as quickly as they can."

"Zva? McGee? Are they okay?" Tony questions Ducky as he weakly tries to look around.

Trying to keep Tony calm and still, Ducky tells him. "I'll check on them now, just stay still."

Tony nods slightly, and Dr Mallard moves towards the back of the van.

As he reaches the damaged rear doors, Palmer appears at his side, and asks. "What should I do, Doctor?"

Ducky pauses for a second, looking for a way into the back, but finding no option, he decides. "Stay with Tony." After seeing Palmer's uncertain expression, he adds. "I think he has a spinal injury ...Given the position he is in, I expect that he has sustained severe crush injuries, but he doesn't appear to feel anything."

"What- what do you want me to do?" Jimmy stammers.

Ducky pauses, he becomes aware of increasingly pained cries from the wreckage; Ziva's he assumes. "Keep him still, make sure he doesn't panic." Ducky orders his assistant quickly before running in the direction of the cries.

As Ducky is trying to get to the front of the van, he hears the approaching sirens, becoming louder by the second. They will be there soon, but from the look of that smoke, maybe not soon enough.

Ducky has to climb across the hood of another car to reach the front of the van, but once he's done that he immediately sees Ziva. She's conscious, and clearly using her remaining strength rapidly, fighting for every breath, and clearly in a world of pain. She is pinned against the seat by the steering column, and with every gasped breath her chest seems to move in the opposite direction than it should, her legs aren't even visible amongst the remnants of the front end.

Ducky takes her hand in his, and soothingly says. "Ziva, my dear, you've gotten yourself into quite a mess, haven't you? But we're going to help you. Just relax, you'll be at the hospital before you know it." As he says this, Ducky just hopes he isn't going to be made into a liar.

Ziva smiles weakly at him despite her pain, and tightens her already weakening hold on his hand; her eyes silently pleading for him not to leave her.

They stay in silence for a moment before Ducky hears Jimmy call out. "Doctor Mallard."

* * *

A moment earlier, Jimmy is standing near Tony, comforting him as best he can when he notices something in the corner of his eye, not unusual considering the circumstances, but something tells him he has to check it out, so after saying to Tony "I'll be right back." He jogs the ten or so metres over to what he saw, and is horrified to see McGee lying in the street, unconscious, and bleeding from countless lacerations, some with glass still embedded.

"Oh my god." Jimmy exclaims as he kneels down beside Tim, and checks his breathing, alright; he's unconscious, but breathing.

Jimmy struggles to remain calm as he thinks what he's meant to do next ...recovery position. He rolls Tim onto his side, into the recovery position, and checks that he's still breathing before he calls out. "Doctor Mallard."

"What is it?" Ducky's response is called out a moment later.

"I need your help over here."

There is another pause before Ducky replies. "I can't leave Ziva. What's going on?"

"...I found McGee; he's unconscious. It looks like he went through the windscreen." Palmer says, the sheer devastation around him clearly affecting him.

There is yet another pause before Ducky calls out. "The paramedics will be here soon. Just stay with him."

* * *

"The paramedics will be here soon. Just stay with him." Ducky feels bad for leaving Jimmy to handle it, but he has to stay with Ziva, who is drifting in and out of consciousness, but is still maintaining a desperate hold on his hand.

"What... is 'appening?" Ziva questions weakly, struggling to breathe, let alone speak.

Before Ducky can respond a paramedic runs over to him; he hadn't even noticed them pulling up.

The paramedic, a young woman firmly orders him. "Step back mister, we can take it from here."

Ducky hesitates, and tells the woman. "She's a colleague of mine, her name is Ziva. Please look after her."

The paramedic nods in agreement, and tells him. "I'll do everything I can."

Ducky tries to move back, but he feels Ziva tighten her hold on his hand. He looks down, and sees Ziva gripping onto him, her eyes begging him not to leave.

"It's alright Ziva, I'll see you as soon as they get you out." He soothes gently.

"Mister, you really need to step back." The paramedic insists. She can see that there is smoke pouring out of the engine of the van, and knows that it could explode at any moment.

"Please Ducky, don't leave me." Ziva begs.

"I'll stay close." Ducky says guiltily before he pries her weakened hand away from his. He then walks over to a nearby building, where Jimmy has already sat down on the cold concrete; what else are they supposed to do, where else are they supposed to go?

* * *

**TBC...**

**Thanks for reading! Please review!**

**And if you've got any ideas of suggestions for this fic, feel free to put them in a review or PM.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS, or the characters, and probably never will.**

**AN: I have no medical knowledge, just way too much time to search the internet.**

**Thank you so much for all your wonderful reviews, I truly value each and every one, please keep them coming. And as a reward for all the reviews, here's a super fast update!**

**Enjoy!**

**

* * *

**Time seems to go past in a blur for Ducky and Jimmy as they watch the rescue workers frantically trying to save their friends. Tim is rushed past them towards a waiting ambulance, on a gurney, intubated and connected to an impossible number of machines and pieces of medical equipment, but neither of them can bring themselves to go with him.

* * *

It isn't until they hear the screech of tires and the voice of an extremely irate, extremely concerned retired marine, that they are snapped back into reality. Ducky wearily pulls himself to his feet and makes his way to Gibbs as quickly as possible, while Gibbs is trying to get past several determined metro cops who are trying to keep bystanders away. "You have to stay back, mister. Just stay back."

"Jethro!" Ducky calls out to his dear friend, worried that otherwise Gibbs will soon resort to violence to get to his team. And above all else, he doesn't want Jethro to see the wreckage, to see his team bloodied and broken, quite possibly losing the fight to survive.

Gibbs stops struggling against and verbally abusing the police officers, and he turns towards Ducky, who by this point is only a couple of metres away. "What happened?! Where are Tony, Ziva, and McGee? Are they alright?! That's their van!"

Ducky pauses, taking a breath to steel himself against the emotions that threaten to overwhelm him, before he tells Gibbs. "Ziva ran the red light; they collided with a truck." He hesitates, trying to force back to mental image of that moment, one that he is sure will haunt him for the rest of his life. "We were a few cars back, stopped at the lights. Timothy has been taken to the hospital, we wasn't wearing a seatbelt from the look of things, and he went through the windshield. Anthony and Ziva are still trapped; I don't know their exact conditions, but I am aware that Anthony was still conscious, but he has a suspected spinal injury, and countless other injuries that they simply can't assess, and Ziva is quite severely pinned in the wreckage, they are working to extricate both of them so they can move them to the hospital."

Gibbs once again, not surprisingly makes a move towards the wreckage, but Ducky grabs hold of him, gently, but firmly saying. "Trust me, Jethro, you don't want to see it."

* * *

It takes nearly two more hours to extricate Tony and Ziva from the wreck, and as soon as they are free, they are rushed to waiting ambulances, which take off at top speed as soon as the doors are shut.

As soon as he sees this happening, Gibbs makes a dash for his car, only pausing long enough for Ducky to climb in before speeding after the ambulances; Palmer had driven the morgue van back to NCIS some time earlier.

* * *

Several tense hours later, as Gibbs and Ducky are waiting in the emergency department waiting area; all seats within ten metres of them are vacant, having been abandoned in favor of standing after Gibbs flew into a rage at a nurse when she couldn't give him any new information. When Gibbs phone rings, he strongly considers ignoring it, but then answers. "Yeah. What is it?"

As soon as he hears the voice on the other end Gibbs wished he hadn't. "Why was I just informed that an NCIS van was involved in a fatal pile up today, one that I know your team uses, by a metro police officer instead of you?! What's going on, Jethro?!"

Gibbs is silent for a moment before he explodes. "I'm waiting to find out if my team is alive! Sorry calling you wasn't at the top of my priorities!"

After a few seconds, Vance, more subdued asks. "Have you heard anything?"

"No." Gibbs sighs, his temper fading as fear for his team's wellbeing takes over. "They're critical, that's all the staff here will tell us."

"Is there anything I can do?" Vance asks, for once not sounding like the heartless bastard he is known to be.

There is one thing Gibbs has been holding off on, but he knows it must be done and he can't leave and he doesn't want to do it over the phone. "Can you speak to Abby? She doesn't know, she'd want to be here."

"No problem. Call me as soon as you know anything."

"Will do." Gibbs agrees, too tired to do anything else before he ends the call.

* * *

As soon as Vance has hung up his phone, he stands up and quickly makes his way down to Abby's lab. As he goes into the dimly lit room, Vance is greeted by the overly cheerful goth. "Director. What brings you down here today?"

"You'd better sit down, Abby." Vance urges her.

Abby visibly starts to shake as she sits down on the stool, she has heard that tone all too often. "What's happened?"

Vance places a steadying hand on her shoulder before he sadly informs her. "David, DiNozzo, and McGee were involved in a traffic accident earlier. I don't have details, but they have been taken to Bethesda Hospital in critical condition."

Before Vance has time to react, Abby slips out from under his hold and dashes towards the stairs at top speed.

* * *

About twenty minutes later, Abby comes running through the emergency department doors. Gibbs quickly goes to intercept her before she can scar the nurses, which at this moment she surely would. "Abby. Abs, breathe." Gibbs says as he guides her over to where Ducky is seated.

As they sit down, Gibbs just puts his arm around Abby, and he holds her close to him as they continue to wait in silence for news.

* * *

It is another three anxious hours before a doctor wearing blood covered scrubs walks wearily into operating rooms waiting area, which the small group had moved to not long before. There is no one else in the room, so the doctor walks straight over to them. "Are you here for Timothy McGee?"

"Yes, how is he?" Gibbs questions the man before him quickly as Abby buries herself further into his chest at the sight of the blood covering the man, Tim's blood.

The doctor sits down in front of them before he regretfully says. "Tim sustained severe injuries to his head and chest in the accident ...We did everything we could. I'm sorry."

"NOOO!!!" Abby screams as she jumps from her seat. "Tim! NO!!! TIMMY!!!"

Pushing aside the pain and grief that threatens to engulf him, Gibbs stands up and goes to Abby, wrapping his arms around her firmly, holding her until her screams fade away and heartbroken sobs replace them as she collapses, and it is only his hold that stops her from hitting the floor.

Gibbs gently guides Abby back over to their seats, and holds her comfortingly, while Gibbs and Ducky just sit in silence, mourning the loss of their friend.

After a minute, with eyes brimming with unshed tears, Gibbs looks at the doctor and asks quietly him. "What about the others? Do you know if they're alright?"

The doctor shakes his head, replying. "I haven't heard anything. Someone will come speak to you as soon as possible."

And so as the doctor leaves, Gibbs, Abby, and Ducky resume their wait, praying that they aren't going to lose any more friends today.

* * *

**TBC...**

**Sorry to everyone who asked me not to kill anyone, the reason will be revealed in time.**

**Thanks for reading! Please review!**

**And if you've got any ideas of suggestions for this fic, feel free to put them in a review or PM.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS, or the characters, and probably never will.**

**AN: I have no medical knowledge, just way too much time to search the internet.**

**Thank you so much for all your wonderful reviews, I truly value each and every one! **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

After yet another ten hours, in which the group barely even moves, let alone considers taking a rest, a nurse cautiously approaches them, she has been forewarned of Gibbs' temper. "Sorry to interrupt." She says quickly, before she tells them. "I just got off the phone, Anthony DiNozzo is out of surgery, his condition is still critical, but he has been stabilized and they're transferring him to the intensive care unit, and if you make your way there you should be able to see him soon."

* * *

They all release a breath they hadn't realized was being held, and Ducky looks up at the nurse, and he kindly tells her. "Thank you."

Abby, her voice still rough from crying, still needs to ask. "What about Ziva? It's been forever, there should be news."

The nurse pauses a moment, trying to remember what she's heard on Ziva's condition. "She is still in surgery, but she last I heard she was holding her own. Someone will come find you as soon as there is news."

As Gibbs helps Abby stand up on her still shaky legs, he gratefully says to the nurse. "Thank you, waiting here..."

"Is hell. I know." The nurse finishes knowingly; she then watches the haggard group make their way towards the ICU.

* * *

Gibbs leads Abby and Ducky through the doors into the intensive care unit, and it isn't long before a nurse approaches them and enquires. "Who are you here to see?"

"Anthony DiNozzo." Gibbs answers shortly, he is more than a little concerned as the nurses false smile drops as he says his underling's name. "What?! Is he alright?"

The nurse motions to a small sitting area nearby. "Come sit down, and I'll fill you in before you see him." Prepare you for what you'll see, in other words.

"No." Gibbs quickly replies. "We're fine here. How is he?"

The nurse sighs, but complies with Gibbs. "Mr DiNozzo-"

"Tony." Abby correctly him quickly.

The nurse amends. "Tony was brought into the hospital following a car accident. He was trapped for several hours before rescue workers could free him."

"We know all this. How is he?" Gibbs says, fighting to reign in his temper of this young man before him who seems incapable of a straight answer.

"Tony is in a critical, but stable condition; that means that he has been seriously injured, but the treating team has been able to stabilize him. His injuries are extensive, and he's got a tough road ahead, it's touch and go right now, but hopefully he'll pull through."

"What injuries does he have?" Ducky asks, needing to get to the point.

The nurse brings to list off the various injuries. "Most seriously, he has a large amount of swelling around his spinal cord, which could lead to paralysis, but we won't know for certain until the swelling has gone down completely, which could take up to a month, he also has a collapsed lung, caused by broken rib, which was surgically repaired and should heal well, and he has a severely fractured pelvis, which has been stabilized as well as possible and with time should heal. There're also fractures in both his legs and his left arm, they've been surgically repaired and they too should heal. He became unstable during surgery and the surgeon will have to go back in a few days when Tony's strong enough, so that they repairs can be completed. But right now our biggest concern is that because he was trapped for so long, with most of his body being for want of a better word, crushed, he has what is known as rhabdomyolysis, which means that on top of his injuries he is at risk of going into kidney failure, and in his condition, there is a high chance that he may not survive that. I'm sorry there isn't better news, but I can promise you that we are doing everything we can, so don't give up on him."

"Wasn't planning to." Gibbs replies, holding onto whatever composure he has left. One member of his team is already dead, and the other two still aren't safe.

"Can we see him?" Ducky asks cautiously, he's seen a lot in his line of work, but hearing that list of injuries, knowing that a friend is the one they have been inflicted upon is another thing all together.

The nurse nods, answering. "Sure. Follow me." As they walk, the nurse says. "He is still unconscious and dependant on a ventilator, and there are a number of other pieces of equipment in the room, just so you know what to expect."

* * *

As they reach Tony's room, which is ominously the closest to the nurses' station and has a crash cart parked just outside, the nurse says. "You can stay as long as you want. If you need anything just press the buzzer, ask for Jay, that's me."

* * *

After Jay has left them alone, it is almost a minute before Gibbs finally opens the door and leads the others into the room. He hears Abby gasp behind him as she sees Tony, and he has to admit that he isn't fairing much better, seeing his second in charge, a friend of over ten years, lying in the sterile hospital bed, engulfed by medical equipment, his face unnaturally pale, lacking any of it's usual energy. "Damn it, Tony." Gibbs murmurs as he makes his way over to the bed and takes a seat beside the bed, barely noticing as Abby and Ducky do much the same on the other side of the bed.

* * *

Not long after they have settled in, the small group is jolted when the door is swung open, and another nurse walks in. "Mr Gibbs?" She says in an appropriately hushed voice.

"Yes?" Gibbs says, taking his attention away from Tony, to the nurse. _Tony would have a field day if he met her._ Gibbs notes as soon as he sees her.

"Ziva David is out of surgery, she's asking for you."

Gibbs practically jumps out of his seat. "Where is she?"

"Just down the hall, I'll show you." The nurse offers, and Gibbs quickly follows her from the room after he gives Abby and Ducky a simple message. "I'll be back soon, just stay with Tony."

Gibbs silently follows the nurse down the hallway, and eventually into another room. And as she steps aside, bringing Ziva into Gibbs' full view, he is stopped in his tracks. "Oh god, Ziva."

* * *

**TBC...**

**Thanks for reading! Please review!**

**And if you've got any ideas of suggestions for this fic, feel free to put them in a review or PM.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS, or the characters, and probably never will.**

**AN: I have no medical knowledge, just way too much time to search the internet.**

**Thank you so much for all your wonderful reviews, I truly value each and every one! **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Ziva is sitting semi-upright in the hospital bed, both her legs are in what looks like a medieval device, holding them in position, but more to Gibbs' shock is the state of Ziva's face, it's extensively bruised and swollen, if he didn't know that the person lying in front of him was Ziva, he wouldn't be able to recognise her.

"Ziva." Gibbs whispers in shock as he stares at her battered body.

The nurse lays a comforting hand on Gibbs' arm as she tells him. "She has severe damage to both her legs, that's why she was in surgery so long, they've cleaned and stabilized them as well as possible, and her face hit the windscreen in the accident, she will need numerous reconstructive procedures over the next few months, there're also quite a few rib fractures which will heal by themselves, but in the mean time they'll be painful." She pauses before telling him. "You should go closer. She can only whisper and her eyes are swollen closed." Before she backs out of the room, sensing Gibbs' need for some time alone with Ziva.

As the nurse leaves, Gibbs moves closer to Ziva, eventually stopping at her side, he gently takes her hand, and says. "Hey Ziva. How're you feeling? It's Gibbs."

"..." There is a pause as Ziva tries to reposition herself in an attempt to see him, but stops as she gasps as pain shoots through her. "Damn it."

Gibbs cautiously places his free hand on her head and carefully strokes her hair, making sure not to cause her more pain. "It's okay, just rest."

Shockingly Ziva doesn't follow his request, and in a weak voice, she asks. "Tony and McGee? Are they okay?"

"..." Gibbs' silence says more than words could.

"Both?" Ziva asks.

Gibbs knows that she is asking if they are both dead, and after a moment, with an emotionally weighted voice, he replies. "Tony is critical, but he's doing alright, considering. But McGee..." He hesitates. "McGee was thrown through the windscreen, they couldn't save him."

As soon as she hears this, Ziva bursts into tears, her injured body wracked by sobs, she doesn't stop even as blood starts seeping through her gown, she's torn some stitches. It isn't until a nurse comes running into the room, alerted by the monitors, and quickly pushes a sedative into one of the IV lines that Ziva settles, and drifts back into unconsciousness.

Once she is sure that Ziva is settled and she hasn't done any serious damage, the nurse, Cara turns to Gibbs, and says. "She'll sleep for at least a couple of hours, you should come back later. I am assuming that she knows about her friends?"

Gibbs nods in confirmation, then glances at Ziva before he walks past the nurse. He's need to find some coffee.

* * *

It is early the next morning, very early, when Abby is sitting with Tony, and she notices that his eyes are open. At first she thinks that his eyelids must have slipped open, but then she sees that he is in fact looking at her. "Tony! You're awake!" Abby says as she leaps out of her seat, and rushes close to him.

Abby repeatedly presses the buzzer above the bed as she leans over Tony, running a hand through his hair as she reassures him. "It's okay. You're okay, Tony."

Jay comes in a matter of seconds later, and Abby quickly tells him. "He's awake." Her eyes never leave Tony.

"That's great." Jay says encouragingly as he moves to start checking over Tony, while Abby continues to keep Tony calm. After doing a full set of vitals and generally makes sure that Tony is stable, Jay moves into Tony's line of view. "Hi Tony, my name's Jay, I've been taking care of you."

Tony makes an attempt to pull out the breathing tube.

But it isn't hard for Jay to anticipate and intercept his move as he says. "You need to keep that in for now, give your body time to heal." He pauses a moment before he says. "I just need to run a couple of checks, okay?"

Tony nods weakly.

Jay moves to the end of the bed, and lifts the blankets off Tony's feet before he asks him. "Tony, I need you to wiggle your toes for me." He isn't surprised when there is no response.

But Abby quickly questions him. "Why isn't-"

Jay interrupts her, saying in a hushed tone. "He's not ready to hear this, we need to give him some time." He then turns his attention back to Tony as he asks him. "Okay, that's good. Now I need you to press your feet down as hard as you can, like you're pushing on a gas pedal." Once again, no response, not so much as a twitch.

Abby pulls Jay to the doorway, and in an anxious, but for Tony's sake quiet voice, she asks. "What does that mean? Is he paralyzed?!"

"We can't know for certain, but it doesn't look good. But you should try to stay positive, for his sake." Jay encourages her before returning to Tony, and resuming his work.

* * *

Abby lingers in the doorway, trying to regain her composure, she doesn't return to Tony's side until Jay leaves several minutes later.

Tony, still unable to talk because of the breathing tube can only watch her in frustration as she tries, and fails to stop the tears rolling down her face, all while she is comforting, telling him that everything will be okay. He knows she's lying, but what can he do?

* * *

Things go on much the same for the next week, Tony is kept on the ventilator in the ICU and he has multiple operations to finish the repairs in his many broken bones, while Ziva is for the most part kept sedated due to fears that she could do herself a lot of damage otherwise, she had proven their concerns several times, delaying her recovery by weeks when she broke two previously bruised ribs trying to get out of bed.

Gibbs spends his time equally between sitting in Tony and Ziva's rooms, never leaving the unit, while Abby and Ducky are there every day, spending time with Tony and Ziva, and also trying to get Gibbs to look after himself, with no success.

* * *

But one night Gibbs finally gives in, and allows Ducky to drive him home, strictly just for the night and then he'll be back, but when he arrives back in the ICU first thing the next morning, Gibbs is stopped by Ziva's nurse, Cara before he can reach Ziva's room. "What happened?" Gibbs questions her, instantly on guard.

Cara places a comforting hand on Gibbs arm as she tells him. "Ziva attempted suicide last night."

"What?! How!? Is she okay?!" Gibbs shouts at the nurse, panic overriding all else.

"The sedation wore off and she was somehow able to get out of the traction. She tried to hang herself. But another nurse found her, and she's been taken into surgery. I'm sorry I don't know anymore."

Gibbs stumbles backwards, shocked by her words. _There's no way, Ziva would never do that. The accident wasn't her fault. I never should've left her._

* * *

**TBC...**

**Thanks for reading! Please review!**

**And if you've got any ideas of suggestions for this fic, feel free to put them in a review or PM.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS, or the characters, and probably never will.**

**AN: I have no medical knowledge, just way too much time to search the internet.**

**I'm not sure if people are still interested in this fic, so if I don't get a decent response to this chapter, I'll most likely stop writing it, and move onto some of my more popular fics.**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

Cara gently helps Gibbs to the floor as his legs buckle; she can't even imagine what he is feeling right now, she's seen him watching over her patient and another in the ICU for eight days, keeping up a constant vigil, and now within hours of him leaving, Ziva tried to kill herself and could die.

She sits beside Gibbs in the hallway, watching him cry, until out of the corner of her eye, she sees Abby running towards them, clearly worried by Gibbs' current state.

"Gibbs!" Abby calls out to Gibbs as she reaches them.

Gibbs numbly stands up and wipes a few tears off his face, forcing himself to regain some semblance of composure, just enough to walk in a straight line, so that he can close the small distance between himself and Abby.

One look at Gibbs' face says more than words ever could, and in an extremely nervous, timid voice, Abby asks him. "Who?"

"Ziva." Gibbs says tiredly before he guides Abby over to a couple of nearby chairs, and he sits down beside her before he gently tells her. "Abby, Ziva tried to kill herself last night. She's still in surgery."

Abby clasps her hand to her mouth, horrified as she cries out. "No, no, this can't be happening! Why would she do that?!"

Gibbs shakes his head slowly. "I don't know, Abby, I don't know."

After a moment, her voice rough from crying. "She blames herself for Tim, for Tony. We should've seen this, Gibbs! We should've stopped it."

Though he barely even believes this himself, Gibbs tells Abby. "There's no way we could've seen this, this is Ziva we're talking about. No one saw it coming."

"I know." Abby says softly, tears still streaming down her face.

Gibbs leans closer to Abby, and he pulls her into a comforting hug. He doesn't let her go until he sees a doctor approaching them.

Ziva's surgeon, James Marten comes over to the weary couple, he offers a tired smile as he tells them. "Ziva is out of surgery, she's stable. We repaired several injuries caused by her suicide attempt, and some that were worsened at the same time, and we've put in a surgical airway, a tracheotomy so that her airway can recover, but it will most likely end up staying in until we've finished the majority of the facial reconstruction procedures. I'll explain everything to you in more detail later, but all you really need to know is that she is stable and we'll be bringing her back up to the ICU as soon as she recovers from the anesthesia."

"Thank you, Doc." Gibbs says gratefully, releasing a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

* * *

Several hours later, Gibbs is sitting beside Ziva's bed, when Ducky comes into the room. "Jethro, I heard what happened, how is dear Ziva going?"

"Doctors say she'll recover, physically, but... I don't know." Gibbs says, only briefly glancing at his friend before turning back to Ziva.

Ducky places a hand on Gibbs' shoulder as he tells him. "Jethro, I know you probably don't want to think about this right now, but I need to remind you that Timothy's funeral has been arranged for tomorrow morning, you are planning to be there, aren't you?"

"I'll be there, Duck." Gibbs says before shrugging away Ducky's hand, and effectively dismissing his friend. It isn't long before Ducky takes the hint and leaves Gibbs alone to stew.

* * *

That evening, Gibbs is still sitting in Ziva's room, trying to figure out the seemingly impossible set up of the traction system, when Ziva starts to stir, he doesn't notice that she is awake, probably by her intention, until she makes a grab for the surgically placed tube in her throat.

"Ziva! Stop!" Gibbs calls out, but by the time he reaches her side, the tube is displaced, blood pouring out from around it. Gibbs shouts out for help, while he desperately tries to staunch the blood flow. He almost doesn't her Ziva whisper. "Don't save me, please. I just want to die." Maybe it would've been better if he had've missed it, but he heard her and just for the briefest of moments, he considers it, but he knows that he can't do it, it isn't really what she wants and even if it was, he'd never do it.

Before Gibbs can say or do anything else, nurses and doctors flood into the room and push him into the corner of the room as they frantically work to stop the bleeding and restore her airway.

* * *

The medical staff manage to repair the damage Ziva did to herself, and the next morning, Gibbs goes into the hospital before going proceeding to the funeral, he walks past Ziva's now adjacent room to Tony's, sadly noticing the conspicuously placed nurse, watching over her, and on top of that, the soft restraints holding Ziva's arms down following the previous evening's attempt to pull out her tracheotomy tube. With a heavy hearted sigh, he continues towards Tony's room, and he is surprised, albeit pleasantly when he sees Tony sitting upright in bed, the breathing tube and associated ventilator are gone, but it is clear that he has been crying.

"Tony." Gibbs says softly, making Tony aware of his presence.

Tony looks up wearily at the sound of his mentor's voice, and in a voice weakened by having been intubated for over a week, he says. "They say I'm paralyzed ...You knew, didn't you? Why didn't you tell me?" The inflection of anger and betrayal is unmistakable.

Gibbs is barely able to keep up the thin façade of composure as he sits down on the edge of the bed, and he takes hold of Tony's undamaged hand, despite Tony's resistance. "I'm sorry, Tony. We thought it was for the best."

There is an awkward pause before Tony asks. "What happened? They wouldn't tell me, they just said there was an accident. Tell me."

"..." Gibbs glances away for a moment, hesitating before he tells Tony. "It was a car accident ...Ziva was driving the van back, you and-" He can't help but pause before he says. "...Tim were passengers, Ziva ran a red light and a truck hit the van."

Before he can say anymore, Tony questions him. "Where are McGee and Ziva? They haven't been in to see me yet. They are okay, right?"

There is another pause, and before Gibbs can answer him, Tony, seemingly for the first time notices that Gibbs is wearing a suit, and he asks him. "What's going on? Why're you dressed up, Gibbs, I didn't know you owned a suit?"

"Tony..." Gibbs says quietly, taking a moment before he informs him. "Tim died, his funeral is in an hour."

"What?! No, no way!" Tony exclaims, his voice breaking under the strain. "No."

After a moment, Gibbs says. "I'm sorry, Tony... we really did think that it was for the best that we waited to tell you."

Tony nods slowly, acknowledging Gibbs' statement as he thinks. It is silent for close to a minute before Tony says. "I want to go with you, to the... to the funeral."

Gibbs sighs, and he resumes his slackened grip on Tony's hand, before he says. "The doctors won't allow it, you're only just off the ventilator, and... and I just can't risk you getting hurt again, I'll take you to visit his grave when you're better." There is a brief pause before Gibbs adds. "I've got to get going, I'll be back to see you later."

Tony huffs in frustration, but accepts what Gibbs is saying, but then, just as Gibbs is standing up to go, a realization hits Tony. "Where's Ziva?"

* * *

**TBC...**

**Thanks for reading! Please review!**

**And if you've got any ideas of suggestions for this fic, feel free to put them in a review or PM.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS, or the characters, and probably never will.**

**AN: I have no medical knowledge, just way too much time to search the internet.**

**OMG! So sorry for the massive wait! I got complete writer's block on this fic, but now to make up for it, here's a double update.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"Gibbs?! Where is Ziva? She is alright, isn't she?" Tony demands worriedly when Gibbs doesn't answer him. He briefly tries to get out of the bed, but he is quickly reminded of his new disability, and slams hand against the mattress before repeating. "Where is Ziva?"

Gibbs moves slowly back over towards Tony, and sighs as he tells Tony. "Ziva got pretty banged up in the crash, but it's not that... Tony, she thought the accident was her fault, we don't really know what happened yet, but... she tried to kill herself a couple of days ago, she hung herself."

Tony is shocked. Ziva?! No way, she'd never do that! Even if she did run the light, that truck was going too fast, we all saw it. It wasn't her fault! "Tried?!"

"A nurse found her, they had to operate, and then she tried again, but she's stable now and it's going to be a long recovery but she should be alright, with time."

Tony relaxes back against the bed, he is terrified about Ziva, but still hearing that for the moment she is alright is good enough for him.

* * *

Tim's funeral is being held at a small funeral home just outside the city. Gibbs arrives barely minutes before the service, but he still has enough time to speak to Tim's parents, who are standing outside the entrance of the chapel.

"Thank you for coming, Agent Gibbs. I know Tim always thought very highly of you." Tim's father politely greets Gibbs, all the while keeping a comforting arm around his sobbing wife.

"I'm so sorry for your loss. Tim was a great agent, it was good to work with him, he'll be missed." Gibbs says somberly before excusing himself to go check on Abby, who is sitting on the church stairs, weeping uncontrollably.

* * *

As Gibbs reaches Abby, he sits down beside her, and gently wraps his arm around her. There are no words, what can you really say at a time like this.

* * *

After several minutes of watching people file into the chapel, Abby tells Gibbs. "I can't go in there, Gibbs. I... I just can't do it. Seeing him, seeing Timmy lying in that coffin, it'll take away my last little bit of hope that this is all a nightmare that I will wake up from and our lives will be back to normal."

"Oh Abby." Gibbs says softly as he pulls her closer to him.

"First Kate, now Tim, and Tony and Ziva aren't safe yet, I can't do this." Abby cries, her words strike Gibbs deeply, he was the one Ari was trying to destroy by killing Kate, he saw Ziva taking the keys to the van from Tony, he had chuckled as Tim miserably climbed into the back of the van, he could've stopped them, right then and there, and this never would've happened.

Gibbs gently cups his hand under Abby's chin, and brings her face up so that he is looking her in the eyes, and though he doesn't believe it himself, he tells her. "We've got to do this, just hang in there for a couple of hours, and then we'll go back to the hospital. It'll be alright, Abby."

"No it won't." Abby says softly. Since the accident, Abby has been a mere shadow of the outgoing, bright, bubbly person everyone has always known. But she can still see the truth in Gibbs words, they have to do this, and so she shakily stands up and follows Gibbs into the crowded chapel.

* * *

They sit silently in the front row beside Tim's parents and Sarah, listening to the pastor's eulogy. Gibbs is completely tuned out, lost in his memories by the time the pastor says. "Timothy's colleague Leroy Gibbs will now say a few words."

There is a pause, everyone waiting on Gibbs, who doesn't move until Abby gives him a nudge, and in a tear roughened voice, she softly says. "You're up, Gibbs."

Gibbs offers Abby a small comforting smile, and wipes a tear off her face as he stands up to walk up to the podium. When he reaches the stand, he nods briefly in acknowledgment to the preacher before he looks out over the crowd, the chapel is filled well beyond capacity, he recognises some people, but there are many more he doesn't, and it is made even clearer to him just how much of an impact McGee made on the world and how many people are feeling the pain of his death.

He clears his throat slightly, hiding the evidence of his distress, and then begins his speech. He speaks of McGee's work at NCIS, he speaks of his kindness and friendships, his commitment to his family, but most importantly as his speech draws to a close, he directs his focus to McGee's family, and sincerely tells them. "Tim truly was a great person, and I for one know that our lives won't be the same without him." He then steps down from the podium, and as he returns to his seat, he pauses at the coffin, and places a hand on the timber surface as he says. "I'm sorry, Tim. I let you down, and I'm sorry."

* * *

After the funeral Gibbs, Abby, and Ducky opt not to go to the wake, deciding to go back to the hospital instead, McGee would understand. But to their barely contained shock, upon their return to the ICU, one of the nurses pulls them to the side before they can go into Tony's room. "I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but..."

"What?" Gibbs questions the young nurse he recognises as Tony's for this shift.

"There has been a complication with Tony. I believe the doctors have already spoken to you about the possibility of him developing rhabdomyolysis due to the crush injuries?"

Gibbs nods numbly. Surely she can't be saying what he thinks she saying. Hasn't Tony been through enough? Haven't they all?

There is a lengthy pause before the nurse continues. "His latest round of blood work shows that he's going into kidney failure. His doctor's put him on medications which will hopefully correct it, but in the mean time he's had to connect him to a dialysis machine to do the work of his kidneys."

They are silent for a moment before Ducky steps forward to ask. "Is this life threatening? How long until we can be sure that he is in the clear?"

"You'll really have to speak to his doctor-"

"Please." Ducky says softly, imploring the nurse to offer them something, some small measure of hope.

"It is potentially life threatening, especially in his already weakened condition. The next few days will be critical."

* * *

**TBC...**

**Thanks for reading! Please review!**

**And if you've got any ideas of suggestions for this fic, feel free to put them in a review or PM.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS, or the characters, and probably never will.**

**AN: I have no medical knowledge, just way too much time to search the internet.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The next day, Abby stops into Ziva's room on her way out, she still hasn't been able to find out why her friend had been driven to attempt suicide, she always thought she was invincible; Abby has been sitting with Tony for most of the morning, keeping his mind off himself by filling him in on the latest cases she's been involved in at NCIS.

She greets her friend in a hushed voice, knowing that Ziva probably wouldn't appreciate her usual bright demeanor at the moment. "Hey, Ziva."

At least the swelling in Ziva's face has gone down slightly, so she can actually see clearly again without difficulty. But still despite her increased ability to express herself using her face, while she can't speak due to the breathing tube, Ziva her head away from Abby, opting to look towards a blank wall instead.

Not deterred by Ziva's response, Abby sits down beside Ziva, ignoring the fact that she is refusing to look at her. "So I've just been to see Tony, he's had some complications-"

As soon as the word leaves Abby's mouth, Ziva turns to face her, grabbing a note pad and pen from the over-bed table, on which she quickly scribbles "Ok?"

Abby takes this as asking, is Tony okay, and seeing as this is the first time Ziva has even tried to communicate, she figures that she deserves the truth. "It's pretty bad, he's still conscious, which is really good apparently, but it still could get worse."

Ziva takes back the note pad, and writes "What's wrong?" before handing it back to Abby to read.

Abby gently places her hand on Ziva's shoulder as she tells her. "The doctors said that his kidneys aren't working, it's really complicated, but basically it's because it took so long to get him out of the wreck. They've got him on a machine to compensate until it gets better."

Ziva ignores the tears that are forming in her eyes as she writes. "What else? No one's said anything."

Abby hesitates, but then as she looks directly into Ziva's eyes, and keeps her hand in place on Ziva's shoulder, she says. "He's got three broken ribs, both his legs are broken, his left arm as well, and his pelvis too. He's also got a collapsed lung, and there's a lot of swelling in his spinal cord, they think that he might be paralyzed. I'm sorry, Ziva, this is too much, I shouldn't have said anything, I'm so sorry, I'm sure he'll be alright." Abby finishes shakily, already regretting telling Ziva.

What happens next surprises Abby completely, a moment after she finishes speaking, Ziva scribbles something else, and shows it to Abby "Thank you." She then takes the pad back and continues writing. "Hated not knowing. Worried."

Abby reads the words written by her friend, and is silent for a moment, deep in thought, before she says. "You know what worried me? ...Finding out that you were in surgery after trying to kill yourself, and then hearing that you tried again. That worried me." Abby pauses, trying to push down the feelings of guilt, she knows that if she stops now, it won't do anyone any good. "Why'd you do it, Ziva? It was an accident, no one blames you."

Tears now blurring her vision, Ziva wipes them away before she writes "I was my fault. I was going too fast, through a red light, and because of that Tim is dead. It's my fault."

Now crying too, Abby replies. "I did the forensics for the crash, that truck was doing twenty miles over the limit, it was a question of when, not if it crashed. It was an accident, Ziva, and I know that doesn't make you feel any better. Ziva, you have to know that Timmy's death nearly destroyed us, if you die, if you kill yourself, we're... you're not just killing yourself." Abby says with finality, and then after a noticeable pause she adds. "We want to help you, get you back on your feet."

* * *

Several days later, Ziva has finally been taken off suicide watch, having turned a corner since her talk with Abby, and has been moved out of intensive care, when out of the blue Vance walks into her hospital room as Gibbs is sitting beside her, handing her the latest offering of magazines and other entertainment for Abby.

"Morning, Officer David. Gibbs." Vance says evenly as he walks further into the room, stopping at the end of Ziva's bed.

Ziva, still unable to speak because of the ventilator nods slightly in acknowledgement of his greeting, while Gibbs says. "Leon, what can we do for you?"

Vance looks directly at Ziva as he answers Gibbs' question. "Your father called me, Ziva. He's requested that you return to Israel as soon as the doctors will let you fly, he said that he plans to arrange for your continued treatment there." The tone in his voice immediately tells the pair that there was no suggestion involved, Ziva must return to Israel, unless she is willing to disobey her father.

* * *

Meanwhile in Tony's ICU room, the dull noise of the dialysis machine, and the various other equipment is suddenly drowned out by a loud, continuous screech as the monitors show a flat line and staff come running into the room, putting the bed down flat, and pulling his gown as one of the nurses puts the defibrillator paddle to his now bare chest, and calls out "Clear" before she administers the shock.

* * *

**TBC...**

**Thanks for reading! Please review!**

**And if you've got any ideas of suggestions for this fic, feel free to put them in a review or PM.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS, or the characters, and probably never will.**

**Thanks to the wonderful few of you who reviewed the last updates, I love getting feedback on my fics!**

**AN: I have no medical knowledge, just way too much time to search the internet.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

There is an anxious moment as the medical staff wait apprehensively to see if Tony's heart will restart, and just as the nurse is preparing to administer a second shock, someone calls out. "He's back."

The tension charged situation is defused immediately upon hearing this, and most of the crowd files out of the room, leaving only Tony's doctor, Dr Lowe and Jay in the room, and as Jay settles Tony comfortably back into the bed, he asks Dr Lowe. "What caused this? His colleagues seem to be in here constantly, they'll want to know."  
"We'll have to run labs, but it's probably from the rhabdo. I don't know how much longer he'll be able to hold on..." The doctor looks down at his patient as he adds. "He's been through too much."

* * *

And as if things weren't bad enough, just days later, while Tony is now in the clear, and almost strong enough to have the surgery he still needs to finish repairing the various fractures, Ziva, probably due to Director David constantly annoying the entire staff over the phone, is out of traction ahead of time, and now in full leg casts and while she still has the trach tube, she is off the ventilator and her face is still in requirement of numerous operations to correct the displaced fractures, she is being prepared to fly back to Israel.

* * *

That night, the night before Ziva is due to leave, much to her barely concealed displeasure, with great difficulty she manages to with Abby's reluctant assistance, get out of bed, into a wheelchair, and go in to see Tony.

As she enters Tony's room for the first time since the accident, Ziva is stunned by the appearance of her friend and colleague. Tony is still deathly pale, and not even strong enough to lift his head off the pillow as a result of his brush with death.

But then again, she knows that she herself doesn't exactly look great; her entire face is swollen and bruised, her left eye socket clearly broken, along with her left cheek bone, and her nose, not to mention the two plain plaster casts on her legs, and to top it off the cuts and scrapes adorning her whole body, that are only now starting to heal.

The look of surprise and shock on Tony's face upon seeing her is impossible to mistake. "Ziva..."

"Tony." Ziva says softly, still not used to speaking with the trach, her voice is hard to recognise when compared to her former, strong and confident one.

Tony reaches out weakly towards Ziva as Abby pushes the wheelchair closer to Tony's beside before backing out of the room, feeling out of place in the emotionally charged situation.

"I am so sorry, Tony." Ziva says as she takes Tony's outstretched hand.

Tony shakes his head as he replies. "It wasn't your fault, Ziva. I don't blame you. This sucks, but I don't blame you."

There is a pause before Ziva tells Tony. "I was worried about you. Abby told me that the doctors were not sure if you would push through."

"Pull through, Ziva, pull through." Tony corrects her automatically; he is surprised to see tears welling in her eyes upon hearing his response. "What's going on, Ziva? It's not like that's the first time you've mixed up words."

"But it will most likely be the last." Ziva tells him cryptically.

"What are you talking about?"

Ziva sighs before she informs her partner. "My father has ordered that I go back to Israel, I leave in the morning."

"What?!" Tony exclaims, or tries to as his weakened body betrays him, and doesn't allow him to response as strongly as he otherwise would.

"I do not have a choice, Tony. I'm sorry." Ziva says tiredly, wishing desperately that this wasn't happening. She was the one who got Tony hurt, and now she won't even be there to help him through his recovery.

* * *

The next morning, as the nurses are preparing Ziva for the move, Gibbs walks into the room, with Abby and Ducky following closely behind. They all greet Ziva as they sit down around the bed.

They sit in silence for a moment before Abby bursts into tears as she says. "This isn't right, Ziv, he can't just force you to do whatever he wants!"

Ziva sighs as she tells her now former colleagues. "I have to go, it isn't my choice." She then turns to Abby, who is sitting beside her, sobbing, and promises her. "This is not goodbye, Abby, not forever."

Ziva then finds herself being pulled into a tight hug by the goth, as Abby says. "I wish you didn't have to go, I'm really gonna miss you, Ziva."

"Yes, Ziva, Abigail is right, we are all going to miss you dearly." Ducky comments as he finds tears blurring his vision.

* * *

Upon arriving in Tel Aviv hours later, Ziva finds herself met, upsettingly, but not surprisingly by one of her father's underlings, a mere junior officer, holding a sign bearing her name. "Officer David?" The officer asks Ziva as she approaches him.

"Yes, shalom. My father could not make it I see?" Ziva asks in Hebrew, an unmistakably bitter note in her voice as she spoke.

"Sorry, Officer David. He said he was upset that he could not be here." The officer replies also in Hebrew, then telling her. "There is an ambulance waiting out front to take you to Tel HaShomer Hospital, where Director David has arranged for you to continue your recovery. He ordered me to escort you there."

Resignedly, Ziva allows the young Mossad officer to take over from the steward in pushing her wheelchair, and he takes her out of the airport to the waiting ambulance.

* * *

That evening, on the outskirts of Tel Aviv, Ziva has been settled into her new hospital room, which despite her lack of need for it is in the high dependency unit of the hospital, given the fact that it is a private room, and clearly is better equipped than others and she has her own nurse waiting on her, irritatingly at all times, Ziva strongly suspects that this was her father's doing.

She has seen people who are obviously more in need of this than her, and it only lead to her silently resenting her father more.

* * *

And when her father finally comes to see her, she skips any kind of greeting as she questions him. "Why are you doing this? You know I do not want to be here, Father. My life is in America, at NCIS. Why can you not just let me have my own life?!"

With an unnatural level of calmness and composure, Director David sits down beside his last surviving child's bedside, and tells her. "You nearly got yourself killed, Ziva, and while I know that I can not keep you out of danger, I also can not just stand by and watch." He then tactlessly adds. "And besides, Ziva, at least the people here are accustomed to your style of driving."

* * *

**TBC...**

**Thanks for reading! Please review!**

**And if you've got any ideas of suggestions for this fic, feel free to put them in a review or PM.**


	9. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS, or the characters, and probably never will.**

**Thankyou to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, and read this fic. I hope it has been a good read.**

**AN: Just so I don't get a lot of angry messages, I do know that in this chapter I have changed the style from present to past tense, as requested I should mention. Let me know if it is better this way.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Epilogue**

**One year later**

Tony spent another two months in hospital before he was transferred to a rehabilitation centre, where he stayed for over nine months, learning to adapt to his new disability, before he moved into a new, ground floor, accessible apartment.

Though he hated it, he had had to give up his old apartment; it was on the third floor of a building that didn't have an elevator, and when you're confined to a wheelchair that doesn't work. What choice did he have?

But as he sat in his wheelchair, working busily at his desk at NCIS headquarters, he didn't even think about not being able to walk. Thanks to several modifications to their office and to a new van, Tony was able to return to work, and even though he couldn't go out in the field anymore, he could still do most of his old tasks, along with training two new probies assigned to Gibbs' team.

The wheelchair he had gotten was very light, and easy to maneuver, and it wasn't out of place to see him chasing either of the probies around the office, yelling at them for whatever they'd messed up.

That was on thing the accident had taken from Tony, his once lighthearted demeanor was long gone. He'd in essence lost his two closest friends and allies in the accident that had left him crippled, and he couldn't get past that.

* * *

But meanwhile in Tel Aviv, while Tony had been learning to adapt, Ziva, while her injuries had been less severe, had taken longer to recover. With close to no support, she was left at a rehab facility for several months, lucky to get a more than one visit from her father each month.

She was miserable, and it wasn't at all helped by her father ordering her back to work the day after she got out of rehab, she'd done it of course, but in her line of work the slight limp she was left with after the accident had nearly gotten her killed more than once, and because of that, no one would go on missions with her.

* * *

One day, she finally after having to drive three hours back to Tel Aviv, with a bullet wound in her arm, because she didn't have backup, she could not take it anymore, and with determination, she strode into her father's office, and ignored his surprised questioning as she told him. "I want to go back home, to America."

"What has gotten into you Ziva? Why are you coming in here now, telling me this now? I know you do not like it here, but-"

"No, Father. No buts. I am standing here in front of you, bleeding. And you do not care, you said you wanted me here, so that you could keep me safe ...this isn't safe, Father!" Ziva hollered at him as she moved closer to him, until there is only his desk separating them.

Eli David was silent for several long minutes, deep in thought before he looked up at his daughter, and sadly said. "It is for the bext, Ziva."

For a moment Ziva had thought that maybe he was coming around, but no.

Back to business. "How did you get hurt, what happened?"

"I was ambushed, and without backup. It is not too bad, I will go to get it cleaned up soon." Ziva said before she pointed out. "But that is not the point, Father. The point is that I am miserable here, and it is not safe. I want to go back to working at NCIS."

"I cannot allow it, Ziva. I do not want you to be so far from me again."

"FINE! If you will not assist me, then I quit. You will not see me again, Father." Ziva said with finality as she turned, and walked away, not stopping until she reached her apartment, and then she was only there long enough to gather her most basic possessions and call Gibbs to inform him of her plan before she left for the airport.

* * *

**Numerous hours later, back in the states**

Gibbs, Ducky, Abby, and Tony stood, or in Tony's case, sat close to the arrivals gate at Dulles International Airport, anxiously awaiting Ziva's return.

"Are you sure she's really coming back, Gibbs? Maybe you heard her wrong, but of course you didn't hear wrong bossman, you'd never-"

"Breathe, Abbs." Gibbs told Abby as he gently took a hold of her. "I'm sure, Abby. She'll be coming out of that gate any minute now."

Abby took a shaky breathe as ordered, but then, before she could have spoken, out of the corner of her eye she saw. "Ziva!!"

The group spun to see Ziva, as Ziva quickly closed the distance between them.

"It's good to have you back, David." Gibbs said as he pulled her into an embrace, then as he noticed her rather disheveled appearance, he asked. "What on earth happened to you?"

With a smile and a laugh, Ziva told the group. "It looks much worse than it is. I am fine."

Abby and Ducky both then took turns greeting Ziva, and finally Ziva turned to Tony.

There was a long pause before Tony told Ziva. "You're looking good, Ziva, compared to..."

"Compared to when my face looked like it had hit a windscreen you mean?"

Guiltily, Tony replied. "Sorry. I didn't mean..."

"Yes you did, but you are right, it does look much better. The surgeons in Israel did well work."

"Good, it's good work, Ziva, not well." Tony said, sounding like his former self for the first time in nearly a year.

As the rest of the group watch Tony and Ziva slipped into their familiar banter, it became apparent that although their lives will never be the same, they will be alright all the same.

* * *

**The End.**

**Thanks for reading the final chapter! Please review one last time, and check out my other fics!**


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